Welcome to Essence of India
In the heart of Chicago, Essence of India is a vibrant Indian restaurant that caters to both vegan and vegetarian diners. With a wide range of flavorful dishes and convenient amenities like delivery and outdoor seating, this casual spot is perfect for groups, families, and date nights alike. Offering a full bar, TV, and Wi-Fi, Essence of India provides a cozy and welcoming atmosphere for customers to enjoy authentic Indian cuisine. Don't miss the opportunity to savor the essence of India at this one-of-a-kind dining destination.
- 4601 N Lincoln Ave Chicago, IL 60625 Hotline: (773) 506-0002
Located in the bustling city of Chicago, Essence of India is a delightful Indian restaurant that offers a wide range of delicious vegetarian and vegan options. The restaurant prides itself on providing excellent customer service and ensuring that all guests have a memorable dining experience.
With features such as outdoor seating, a full bar, and even the option to pay with cryptocurrency, Essence of India truly caters to a diverse range of customers. Whether you're looking to enjoy a casual meal with friends or host a group event, this restaurant has everything you need.
I personally have had the pleasure of dining at Essence of India and I must say, the flavors and aromas of the dishes here are simply outstanding. From traditional curries to fragrant rice dishes, each bite is like a burst of authentic Indian spices.
If you find yourself in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago, be sure to stop by Essence of India for a culinary journey that will leave your taste buds wanting more. You can thank me later.

I'm in Chicago for the weekend for a workshop and I stumbled upon this Indian restaurant. I am a serious Indian food lover. This place blew me away. The food is excellent, very authentic, the service is top notch and the ambience is simply charming. if you're in the area, you must stop by. Will not be disappointed.

My boyfriend and I walked by this restaurant about a week ago and remarked on how great the food smelled. We came here last night and had the most delicious meal! I got the vegetable korma, which is divine, and I will update later what boyfriend got because I am blanking right now. We also shared an Elephant Ride cocktail which was also amazing and very unique. The staff was very friendly as well. Will definitely be coming back!

This was a cute little spot with a low energy sort of vibe. In other words, not great if you are wanting to have a conversation above a whisper level, but absolutely great if you are wanting to people watch and eve's drop in the awkward first date happening across the room. The server was super friendly and gave me a few recommendations; I got the gosht korma, garlic naan, and vegetable biriyani. The gosht korma was genuinely some of the best food I've had in a while - slow cooked lamb swimming in a sweet saffron, raisin, and almond sauce. Yum! Nothing special about the naan. The biriyani had tons of extra yakhni in it, which is my favorite, but was a little bland other than that. Also, none of the curries come with rice, which makes this much more expensive than most other Indian restaurants.

Delicious Indian food that hits the spot. We came right when it opened for lunch on Saturday so there was no wait. We ordered the Goan Lamb, chicken vindaloo, 1 order of butter naan, 1 order of rice, and the Masala Bloody Mary. I was pleasantly surprised that the lamb and chicken meat were excellent. They were tender and not dry. There was a good amount in it too. It was my first time trying goan lamb specifically because the menu said it was spicy. The server asked for the spiciness level. For the spicy lovers out there, medium heat isn't hot enough. Next time, I'll be asking for a bit spicier than medium. The chicken vindaloo was a more tomato-based vindaloo. Both dishes were delicious. I was a little disappointed in the Masala Bloody Mary. I thought I would be able to pick out the the Indian spices, but I guess my taste buds weren't refined enough. Otherwise, it was felt like a standard Bloody Mary. I would definitely come back to fulfill my Indian food cravings. I just wish the rice was included with the entrees as needed.

Our Favorite Indian restaurant in Lincoln Square. Cozy space and wonderful service. Bread assortment is a must - we get it every time. Get 4 varieties of #naan & #roti Non-vetegatian sampler comes with a variety of meats, including tandori chicken and shrimp & kebabs House specialty paneer khurchan has generous portions of paneer cheese with peppers & tomato sauce Always get too full to have dessert, but 1 of these days... Tip - if you pay cash, save 5%.

Awesome food and the service is exceptional. I think is a family restaurant, very cute and accommodating. They recommended some great dishes, portions were large and very tasty . Will definitely go back.

Very happy with our experience here! I read all the recent Yelp reviews which were really good, so I was excited to try this place. It seems like they do a big takeout business and eating inside was pleasant. We came on a Thursday night around 6pm and had no problem getting a table. There was indoor and outdoor seating and all the tables that came in after us chose to eat outside. Parking in this area was SO easy. The menu is very extensive - you could spend a lot of time deciding. We ordered: - Butter Chicken - Tandoori chicken simmered in tomato sauce, butter and spices, $12.95. This was so good, there were little pieces of chicken and the sauce was almost sweet. I've never had a butter chicken like this before and it was perfect to dip in naan. I didn't want to waste a drop of it! - Gobhi Gulastan - Cauliflower and potatoes cooked with herbs and ginger, 10.95 -Shrimp Biriyani - Traditional Indian rice dish made with vegetables, herbs and your choice of meat. We had someone eating with us that doesn't like a lot of spice, and they made this on the lowest spicy end as possible. I love spicy, and it was spicy! -Onion Kulcha - Flour bread stuffed with onions, $2.95. This was my favorite of the breads. You can taste the cut bits of onion in it. -Garlic Naan - Naan topped with garlic, $2.95